Is ABA Abusive?

What is ABA?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a science that focuses on systematically applying what has been discovered/learned about how organisms learn to problems that are of significance to our society.

 Let’s unpack that shall we?  What do I mean?  Well firstly, ABA is a science.  It is not a group of procedures (ABA does not mean discrete trial training), nor is it only tied to working with a certain group of people (i.e., we don’t only work with children with developmental disabilities).  ABA looks at real life problems through the lens of the science of behavior and attempts to make improvements using that same science.   ABA is used in all areas of our lives, including medicine, public health, speech, occupational, and physical therapies, schools, health and fitness, business, finance, and more! 

Is ABA abusive?
Now there’s a question!  I’ve gotten this question from parents and have seen posts in various online groups about this topic.  There are people passionately against ABA and people just as passionately for it!  The first thing to remember is that ABA is a science (I know, I’m being repetitive, but I want that point to sink in).  ABA is a branch of a larger science called behavior analysis.  So the practices an ABA

therapist use may be derived from the science, but it does not define the science itself.   Secondly, and specifically as it pertains to the clinical treatment of children with autism and other diagnoses, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), the professionals typically in charge of a child’s treatment, are held accountable to a governing board, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.  BCBAs also subscribe to an ethical code which can be found here BACB Ethics Code   Finally, your BCBAs and anyone working under their supervision, are mandatory reporters.  This means not only do we have to abstain from abusive practices ourselves, but we must report it when we observe it (or are made aware of it).

But where there's smoke there's fire right?

So, where did this idea that ABA is abusive come from and does it have any merit? Well we cannot ignore the claims/experiences of some individuals who say they were traumatized by ABA when they were young.  Could these claims be true?  Possibly.  An important point to know is that ABA is different than behavior modification.  The two are often used synonymously but this is an error.  ABA involves not just the application of the basic principles of behavior but also an analysis of how that application affects the behaviors in which we are interested.   With Behavior Modification the analysis part is absent.   When people talk about ABA years ago they are possibly referring to Behavior Modification and not ABA. However, even if years ago a therapist utilized ABA in his/her practice, it is possible that punishment was used during treatment.  Going back to the point about ABA being a science focused on the application of behavioral principles, one of the basic principles of behavior is punishment.  Behavior Analysis did not create this basic principle.  Punishment already occurs in everyday life (if you think I’m kidding think about why you cautiously walk through your bedroom at night when the lights are off.  It’s because you have learned that not being cautious will probably result in you stubbing your toes!) What ABA has done is applied this naturally occurring phenomenon to behaviors that society deemed inappropriate (some of these behaviors include punching, biting, spitting at someone).  As with

any other therapeutic intervention there are side effects when one uses punishment.  One side effect of punishment is that after being exposed to it, even when punishment is no longer there, people will associate the therapist (and in this case an entire field) with punishment and will also avoid that therapeutic environment.  So, although ABA therapists today use more positive procedures during therapy we are still associated with punishment.  In fact, although punishment is a basic principle of behavior (and one that is necessary in some circumstances, such as in inpatient settings with extremely severe cases), we rarely use it and NEVER without having a discussion with the parents/guardians and gaining consent (i.e., after explaining the side effects of a procedure). This is also in our ethics code by the way. 

To be sure, our field has come a long way and punishment was used a lot more years ago than it is today in therapeutic settings.  The idea of social validity has something to do with this.  Social validity is something that ABA believes to be important.  Social validity asks questions such as “does the client think this treatment is useful, helpful, acceptable, etc.?”  If you think back to your grandparents’ (and possibly your parents’ days) spanking children was socially acceptable in many circles.  Similarly, punishment was more socially acceptable in therapy settings then than it is now.    A look at behavior analytic research over the years show a decrease in the research and application of punishment.  This is perhaps in large part because our society now frowns on punishment as a behavior change agent.  The reason therapy sessions look different than they did in years past is because of social validity.  The voice and opinions of our clients and society as a whole matter to us!

So to answer the question “is ABA abusive?”  The answer is in short “no.”  It’s kind of crazy to say that an entire field of science is abusive.  Were punishers used in therapy and did these punishers result in negative side effects?  This is absolutely possible.  Could it be that there were therapists using punishment without considering the side effects? Yes.  However, using punishment (i.e., in the way the process and procedures are prescribed by the field) does not constitute abuse.  The main thing if you are a parent is to communicate with your BCBA.  You need to know what the therapist worked on during each session and it is perfectly OK to ask what procedures were used in the session.  We LOVE parents who are involved!  Trust me we want you to ask questions so we can show you the data (we are data junkies!).  Another thing is to make sure you know what to look for in a good ABA program (coming soon).  You should never feel like your child is in danger.  In every field there are bad apples, but ABA as a field, and as a science has done remarkable things in improving the lives of many people.  We continue to conduct research on what works, and what does not, and we will continue to work in improving people’s lives.  But when someone says “ABA is abusive” they are most likely talking about specific strategies and not the science as a whole .  Although even when someone is speaking about specific strategies one needs to dig a little deeper by asking more questions to be really able to determine if a therapist is being ethical or if the therapist is being abusive.  Please share this blog when you see or hear someone ask about the practices of ABA!

References:
APA Handbook of Behavior Analysis edited by Gregory J. Madden William V. Dube, Timothy D. Hackenberg, Gregory P. Hanley, and Kennon A. lattal.
My Masters thesis: Trends in the Study and Use of Punishment Interventions :)
BACB.com